What Mjolnir? Here Is Why Thor Uses A Gun In Thor: Ragnarok

The God of Thunder does not need a mystical, intelligent hammer to defeat Hela (Cate Blanchett) and save Asgard in Thor: Ragnarok. In the second movie trailer released by Marvel in time for 2017 San Diego Comic-Con, Chris Hemsworth’s character was seen carrying a gun as he and his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) face the Goddess of Death. Here is why.

A Real Hero Does Not Rely On His Hammer

Mjolnir might be powerful, but it is not powerful enough to defeat Hela. The Goddess of Death has returned to Asgard to bring Ragnarok, the end of the gods. The viral, first trailer of the upcoming movie saw Hela catch Mjolnir with one hand and, seemingly without any effort, crushed it into smithereens. Thor was left with no weapon to defend himself and his kingdom, but he still has the spirit to face the supervillain and stop Ragnarok before it destroys Asgard.

Because this is the third Thor movie, director Taika Waititi wanted to offer something different from its predecessors. One of the things that he removed in order to bring the hero and his fans out of their comfort zones is Mjolnir.

During an interview with IGN, Waititi explained why he decided to give the God of Thunder a gun in his battle against Hela and Surtur.

“I think we really wanted to challenge Thor in this film,” the filmmaker explained. “He’s challenged further than in any of the other films. He loses the hammer, which is the source of his power, and he’s really on the back foot most of the film. We didn’t want him to be able to utilize magic or to have Loki’s magic. We didn’t want him to have too many advantages.”

The challenge for Thor in Thor: Ragnarok is to find a way to use whatever resources were available in order to wage war against a foe that is more powerful than he is. He assembled his own #TeamThor that consists of his brother Loki, his “friend from work” the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and his new love interest Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson).

“He had to really find his way out of this predicament using his brain and using his friends,” Waititi added.

This experience will make Thor realize his full power as an Asgardian. At one point in the trailer, he made Hela remember that he is the God of Thunder by controlling lightning as it envelops around him. His newfound skills will be useful for when he and the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes face off with the biggest threat in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Mad Titan Thanos (Josh Brolin), in Avengers: Infinity War.

From Enemies To Friends

It is also important to point out that Thor’s new team against Hela is made up of people who were former adversaries. Loki, of course, has a long and antagonistic relationship with his brother. Meanwhile, Thor and the Hulk might be members of the same superhero team, but they also have a rocky history. Lastly, Valkyrie is in league with the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) the first time she meets the Asgardians Prince.

Speaking to Comicbook.com, Thompson shared that the relationship between Valkyrie and the Grandmaster is more “advantageous” than friendly. ”

“I bring the Grandmaster things that may be of interest to him, and one of those happens to be Thor,” she shared. “[The Grandmaster is] always grouping people together in fights, and I brought the Hulk to him, and so I bring Thor as a would-be contender, and hilarity ensues.”

The first trailer did see the newcomer pulling Thor into the gladiator arena. How she will eventually have a change of heart and help Thor escape Sakaar, fans have to wait a few more months to find out. Thor: Ragnarok will be released on Nov. 3.